Manatee school district rolls out new food services program, bringing students into kitchens

BRADENTON — With the help of her grandmother, 7-year-old Chloe Smith sometimes makes grilled cheese sandwiches at home. She knows the sandwich is ready when the slices of cheese in the middle get gooey and drip off the edges of the bread.

Until Monday, Chloe didn’t fully make the connection of what she was doing while she was cooking at home: using heat to change the cheese from a solid to a — not quite — liquid.